When most people think of a mockingbird, they think of a rounded singing bird, but those in Maycomb think of something much different. Harper Lee published the book To Kill A Mockingbird at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. This book is told by a 6-year-old girl named Scout who lives in Maycomb, Alabama with her brother Jem and father Atticus. The novel is based on a trial Atticus took as a lawyer and the strange events in Maycomb. The mockingbird symbolizes innocence and harmlessness. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee proficiently uses Tom Robinson, Jem Finch, and Boo Radley as human mockingbirds, and therefore, symbols of innocence. To begin, Lee uses Tom Robinson as a human mockingbird. Tom Robinson is a black man …show more content…
One day Mayella invited him into the house and proceeded to knock him to the floor and try to make him kiss her. Bob saw the encounter through the window. After Tom ran away, Bob proceeded to attack Mayella. Mayella later accused Tom of rape and he was put on trial with Atticus as his lawyer. Tom was asked if he was paid to help her and he said “No. Suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn’t seem to help her none, and neither did the children, and I knew she didn’t have any nickels to spare.” (Lee 218) Tom was a kind man who felt sorry for Mayella so he helped her out. Tom’s all-white jury convicted him of guilty and sent him to jail. The Finch family still had hope that the case would be brought to a higher court and he would be proven innocent. Before Tom got a chance to be brought to a higher court, he was murdered in jail. Wishing, hoping, and praying were not enough to save Tom. Tom was running during their exercise period and the police claimed that he was trying to run away. Atticus shared what the police told him “The guards called him to stop. They fired a few shots in the air then to …show more content…
Next, Lee uses Jem Finch as a human mockingbird. Jem is a 10-year-old white boy who is brave and empathetic. The narrator, Scout, is Jem's younger sister. Enraged, Jem was when the all-white jury concluded that the innocent man, Tom, was guilty. Jem said to Atticus “No sir, they ought to do away with juries. He was not guilty in the first place and they said he was.” (Lee 251) Jem is hidden by his innocence and isn't prepared for the jury's decision. Jem saw how all the evidence pointed away from Tom Robinson. He realizes that he is profoundly wrong about the community he lives in. As the story progresses, Jem has an altercation with the man who his father thought was guilty. Bob Ewell was the father of Mayella Ewell and wanted revenge on Atticus because he was trying to turn the jury against him. Jem and Scout walk home in the woods from a pageant and Jem gets attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout narrates “We were nearly to the road when I felt Jem's hand leave me, felt him jerk backwards to the ground. More scuffling, and there came a dull crunching sound and Jem screamed.” (Lee 301) Jem was attacked by Bob Ewell and was left unconscious with a broken
Harper Lee is the author of To Kill A Mockingbird. She uses symbolism in this book which means using symbols to represent ideas or qualities. In her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Tom, Mayella, and Boo Radley as human “Mockingbirds” to contribute to the overall theme of innocence.
The quote by Zora Neale Hurston, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” shows that coming of age is a tricky project that takes time and effort. In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she writes about Scout Finch, the narrator, reflecting on her past and the challenges she went through in her hometown, Maycomb, with her brother Jem and childhood friend Dill.. Harper Lee uses the young characters in the novel to show experiences, their role models, and conflict help shape a person from child to adult.
“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." A quote from the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird depicts the hardships of growing up and seeing the world around you being controlled by prejudice and racism. Lee implies that innocence is not seen as the assumption that people are naturally good but is more of a mature perspective gained from facing immorality.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells the story of the struggle of a white family facing discrimination for defending a black man. Scout and Jem are two young children living in Maycomb, believing that everyone is like their father, Atticus, who embodies justice and equality. Atticus takes on the case of defending Tom Robinson, a man who is being charged with raping a white woman. Before the trial, the Finches are forced to withstand torment from the townspeople. Their beliefs are shaken when a black man is given a rigged trial and he is innocent.
Innocence evidently comes with birth and is kept through existence as time moves forward, but it soon becomes corrupted with specific life changing occurrences. In the film To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan, which is based upon the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee, there are three prominent characters in which innocence is rendered within. The three characters are Jem Finch, his sister Scout or Jean Louise Finch, and their neighbor Boo Radley or Arthur Radley. They each possess a different form of innocence because of the diverse personalities and consequently have their innocence obliterated in distinct ways. The
In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, she shows how society in the 1930’s affects the lives of many people. One of these people is Tom Robinson, who is expressed to be a “mockingbird” of the story. A mockingbird is unlike several other birds and never harms anyone, therefore should not be killed because it would be like killing peace. Tom is used in the novel as a mockingbird to show how the town of Maycomb, Alabama is racist.
“Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of
When Scout and Jem get rifles for Christmas they learn why they should not kill a mockingbird. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (103). Mockingbirds represent happiness. They do not cause any harm to anyone or anything. Therefore, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Tom Robinson, a black man, is the man who was falsely accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell, a white woman. “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (275) Tom Robinson is one of the mockingbird symbols. He was convicted and was murdered for the rape of Mayella Ewell. He did not rape Mayella but he was blamed for it. Since this took place in the 1930s, they black people were not believed over white people. So when Tom was killed it was like killing a mockingbird. He did nothing but help people, but he was killed. He only brought joy and happiness, not hatred. Tom Robinson was not the only mockingbird symbol in the novel. Boo Radley was also a symbol of a mockingbird. Boo Radley saved Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. He ended up killing Bob while trying to save the kids. Heck Tate, the town sheriff, could prove that Bob fell on his knife. He did this so Boo would not get in trouble. “Well it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird,
The novel To Kill A Mockingbird, written by renowned author Harper Lee, was published on July 11, 1960. Her novel received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize and has become a modern-day American classic novel. The book’s setting is in Alabama and occurs when widespread racism and discrimination are high in the South. The name of the book arises from the common belief and saying that, ’It is a sin to kill a mockingbird’. To Kill A Mockingbird is narrated by Scout Finch, about her father, Atticus Finch, a well-known lawyer who fights to prove the innocence of a black man (Tom Robinson), who is unjustly accused of rape, and about Boo Radley, her mysterious neighbor who saves both her and her brother Jem from being killed.
The story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee portrays many different scenarios of racial discrimination. Discrimination occurs in the book and many people are affected by the racial slurs and other occurrences. In the story, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson are all people that are discriminated against or are affected by discrimination. Racial discrimination is a major part of Kill a Mockingbird. Scout is a young, elementary school girl and she is the main character and narrator of the story.
The illusion of innocence is deeply instilled in the outlook of children. Reality soon takes its grip as kids begin to grow and mature, and they lose their pure qualities that they have once possessed. Their father Atticus shelters Jem and Scout from the town’s disease, teaching them the act of sympathy and how to distinguish the good aspects over glaring at the imperfections of people. The loss of innocence portrayed in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is exposed as the lives of Jem, Scout, and Dill go through their racist and prejudice society, learning how the worlds dreamlike qualities is nothing more than just a childhood fable. The children’s judgment of people and society quickly sheds as Lee displays the harsh realities to Jem, Dill,
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Mockingbirds play a small role in the plot, but convey a larger meaning. They represent many different characters throughout the book, including Tom Robinson, Scout Finch, Mr.Raymond and Boo Radley. The citizens of Maycomb saw these characters as outcasts and persecuted them. Harper Lee titled her book To Kill A Mockingbird because Tom, Mr.Raymond and Boo represent the mockingbird itself, while Scout, as the innocent character, represents the mockingbird’s song.
"To Kill a Mocking Bird" by Harper Lee is a book that touches on some difficult topics. The story takes place in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s (Tom's trial takes place in 1935). The story is narrated by a young girl who goes by the name of "Scout" Finch. Scout's real name is Jean Louise. The story takes place during the depression, but the Finch family is better off than many in this small town, as Atticus, Scout's dad is a successful and respected lawyer. Tom Robinson is a poor African-American field hand who is accused and tried for rape. In the process of defending Robinson, Atticus is able to provide evidence that the young man is innocent. But, because of the racist nature of white society in that time and place, the young man is convicted.
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: The Significance of a Mockingbird In a society surrounded by corruption, racism, and cruelty it is rare to find purity. Innocence is constantly being destroyed. For this reason, the harmless citizens need to be treasured and protected. Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird portrays the injustices of the 1930’s that expose the innocent to the malice of the society’s intentions. Some characters in the novel are characterized as harmless and pure and are symbolized by mockingbirds.
While reading the book “Why We Broke Up” I had several queries and reviews on the text. My first question is both a question and an evaluation. Min (The main character) is breaking up with Ed (Min’s ex-girlfriend) for numerous reasons and that’s the whole storyline she’s writing letters about why they broke up which makes sense since the title is “Why We Broke Up.” The authors choice of title complements the plot of the story. I personally love the title I think it goes very well with the books story. It kind of makes you realize that Min and Ed are not going to get back together which makes you a little sad because they seem like such a cute couple at the beginning of the book. But my question is why is Min writing her ex-boyfriend letters. I mean the relationship is over why not just ditch him and forget (remember this is a question I had while reading).